Separable fastener seal



B. P. SLOAN.

SEPARABLE FASTENER SEAL.

APPLICATION man APR. 14. 1920.

1,410,081. Patented m 21, 1 22.

UNITED STATES BERRY P. SLOAN, OF LIVERMORE, COLORADO.

SEPARABLE FASTENER SEAL.

1.iio,os1.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgnfgd lug 21 1922,

Application filed April 14, 1920. Serial No. 3'?3,76l.

make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fastening and sealing de vices.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved device of this character whereby the closure of a receptacle can'be securely held against unauthorized opening and the fact that an attempt has been made plainly apparent.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved device of this character which, when used in connection with a paper receptacle, such as a letter envelope, the parts can be easily and conveniently applied to the ordinary envelope with only slight modifications to the envelope.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from thefollowing description when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing.

In the drawing Figure 1 is an elevation of an envelope equipped with the improved fastener, the envelope and fastener being in closed position.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the device, in the position of Figure 1, but viewed from the inside of the envelope.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the fastening device and envelope, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure t is a perspective view of the de vice removed from the envelope.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the flap carried member is formed.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the blank from which the other member of the fastener is formed, and which is carried by the body of the envelope.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the main portion of the device construction for use as a car seal.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the main portion of the envelo e fastening device removed from the enve ope.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawing, the parts of the device arerepresented by the characters A and B, the former being secured to the back wall of the envelope C, while the other'mernber B is engaged with the closure flap 0 of the envelope.

The member A is formed from a single piece of suitable thin metal, reference being had to Fig. 6, and includes a body portion 10, of general rectangular outline in opposite sides of one portion of which there are formed the recesses 11, whilethe corresponding sides of the other portion have the tabs 12, which, when the blank is bent on a transverse line, are adapted to be bent into the said recesses and engage with the outer face of the device. The blank at one side of the fold, is slightly longer than the other,

and on the corners of this longer portion there are formed the tabs 13 which embrace the corresponding corners of the shorter portion, when the two portions are bent toward each other. A central widertab 1d is forzned. on the end of the longer portion, between the tabs 13, and this central tab is slightly curved away from the body of said portion, for a purpose which will appear hereinafter. The shorter portion of the blank is out along parallel lines 15, which are connected, at a point near the central fold line of the blank, by a transverse out 16,-with the result that 'twotongues 17 and l8lextend longitudinally of the center of the said portion of the blank. It will be noted that thetongue 17 'is considerably longer than the tongue'18,

the purpose of which will presently appear. Pointed tangs 19 are struck out of the body portion of the blank, in the shorter portion, and these tangs are forced through a sheet of gurnmed paper and bent onto the gummed surface, after which the blank, which has been previously bent on its intermediate transverse line, and the tabs 12 and 13 engaged with the shorter portion of the body, is secured to the inner face of the back wall of the envelope, by means of said 111. It will thus be seen that the shorter en portion of the body of the member A is disposed toward the outside of the envelope and that the curved tab extends toward the interior thereof. In the said back wall of the envelope, immediately above the upper edge of the shorter end portion of the member A, there is formed a slot 20, which extends lon gitudinally of the major dimension of the envelope. There thus forinedan entrance slot, into the space between the end portions of the member A, between the tabs 13, said slot being arranged just inwardly of the slot 20.

In the free end of the closure flap C of the envelope there is formed a slot 21, extending in the same direction as the slot 20, and through this slot is passed one leg 22 ot a strip of metal 23, which hasbcen previously bent on a central transverse line. The outer or free ends of the legs oi the member 13 are formed with the transverse slots 24, one of which, when thetwo legs are passed through the slot 20, of the back wall of the envelope, and into the space between the folded portions of the member A, will receive the free end of: the longer tongue 17 thcrethrough. The shorter tongue 18 is slightly bent, inwardly, so that it will cnga ge v with the free end of the tongue 17 and prevent the leg 23 from being pushed into a position to release the said tongue from its slot. Any unauthorized attempt to open the envelope will result in the tearing of the closure flap at the ends of the slot :21 thereof,

which will be clear evidence of that the letter has been opened or an attempt made to do so.

To apply the invention to the ordinary envelope it is only necessary to form the slots 20 and 21 inthe envelope, and secure the member A tothe inner face of the back wall of the envelope, and the member B through the slot 21.

Referring particularly to Figure 7, it will be seen that the side edges of the body member are bent inwardly. transversely of the slotted front of the device, and that said inturned portions 25 are "fOl'Il'lGd with in,

termediate notches 26 which receive the tabs 2? of the side edges of the extra cover plate 28, which is held in place by the inturned edges 25. Thesetabs prevent the plate 28 being removed, as will be understood. Thus formed, the device is adapted for use as a car seal, the plate 28 protecting the locked tongue therewithin.

\Vhat is claimed is:

1. A separable fastener comprising a yoke having a pair of longitudinal tongues o't ditlferent lengths struck out of one arm thereof and projecting obliquely toward the other arm, the shorter tongue being bent outwardly past the free end of the longer tongue, and a slotted member for passage into the yoke to receive the longer tongue through its slot and to engage its free end inwardly of the shorter tongue.

2. A separable fastener comprising a yoke having tabs on one leg en'ibracing the other leg, a central terminal and curved tab on one of the legs of the yoke, a pair of longitu dinal tongues of difi'erent lengths struck out of one of the logs, the shorter tongue being bent to extend across the end of the longer tongue, and a pair of resilient slotted legs arranged to pass into the yoke between the legs thereof the longer tongue being arranged to be received through the slot of one ofthe legs, said leg being arranged to engage with its free end inwardly of the bent end of the shorter tongue, whereby the resilient leg is held from disengagement from the longer tongue.

3. A blank forming a part of a separable fastener comprising an elongated body having a transverse central lold line, transverse and longitudinal slits passing through corresponding edges of the blankwith resultant intermediate tabs, and longitudinal parallel central slits connected intermediate their lengths, by a transverse sht resulting in a longer and a shorter tongue.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

V BERRY P. SLOAN.

\Vitnesses B. S. TnDMoN, M. BELLAIRS.

Cir 

